Circular loom



J.31,1939. F. ,c. HALE 3 CIRCULAR LOOM Filed Nov. 26, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' FIG.

F. c. HALE CIRCULAR LOOM Filed Nov. 26, 1937 2 Shegts-Sheet 2 Maven CY;

Patented Jan. 31, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCULAR LOOM Application November 26, 1937, Serial No. 176,610 In Great Britain December 4, 1936 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to circular looms and is concerned more particularly with shuttles for use in such looms.

U. S. Patent No. 1,968,041 describes a circular 5 loom shuttle equipped with a warp thread feeler member which detects jamming or incorrect shedding of the warp threads in advance of the shuttle. The feeler member is pivotally hung from the front of the shuttle in advance thereof and on encountering obstruction between the divided warp threads is urged rearwardly towards the shuttle against the pressure of a light spring, such rearward movement being communicated to a push rod which is pushed through a sheet of warp threads to actuate means disposed on the other side of the sheet for bringing weaving to an end.

In the particular shuttle described with reference to the drawings in the prior patent the feeler 20 member is connected by horizontal arms to a vertical rod the upper end of which is slidably disposed in a guiding slot formed in the shuttle framework substantially in alignment with the path traced by the shuttle through the warp threads, while the lower end of the rod is fixed to the push rod. A vertical link pivoted at its upper end to the shuttle framework and at its lower end tothe push rod sustains the weight of the feeler member and the vertical rod in association therewith, and allows the members to rotate about the pivot towards or away from the shuttle, the engagement of the vertical rod with the slot guiding the feeler and causing it to follow a substantially straight path towards and away from the nose of the shuttle. The push rod is guided by bearing members mounted in the shuttle body.

It is an object of the invention to increase the sensitivity of pivotally supported feeler members, and according to the invention a shuttle for use in a circular loom comprises a warp-thread feeler member wholly supported with reference to the shuttle by means of a plurality of links each pivoted at one end to the shuttle and at the other end to said feeler member, said links being so disposed that said ieeler member is adapted to move, under their control, substantially parallel to itself. The

iotion oi the feeler member is adapted through the agency of a push rod or like means, connected to or forming part of the feeler member, to stop further weaving taking place until the warp jam or breakage that has given rise to the motion has been corrected.

The purely pivotal connection of the feeler member with the shuttle renders the member very sensitive in operation and permits the use of a very light spring for maintaining the feeler member in the extended position. The provision of a plurality of links, moreover, prevents any tendency for the feeler member to tilt on meeting an obstruction, even if the obstruction occurs at 5 or near one of the ends of the feeler. The feeler member is thus enabled to move freely substantially parallel to itself, the parallel movement ensuring that the push rod or like member in connection with the feeler is moved to the fullest l0 extent, and so caused to actuate the mechanism for stopping weaving no matter which part of the feeler member encounters an obstruction.

Preferably two links are provided, these being sufficient to position the feeler member relatively 15 to the shuttle. The two links should be so disposed as to permit ready access to the package of weft-yarn carried by the shuttle. For this purpose positions in front of or beneath the said package should be adopted for the links.

The inertia of the feeler and push rod mechanism may be reduced by forming such mechanism from aluminium, aluminium alloy, or other light metal plate, and when the feeler and the push rod are integral distortion of the joint between 25 the two members may be guarded against by reinforcing such joint, e. g. by forming a web at the joint or by bracing the joint with strut or tie members preferably formed integrally with the feeler member and the push rod.

The mechanism according to the invention adds little to the total mass of a shuttle and thus renders the shuttle in which it is incorporated particularly suitable for use in circular looms of the type in which relative motion between the 35 shuttle or shuttles and the warp threads is brought to an end quickly on thread failure. Thus a shuttle equipped with the apparatus according to the invention may with advantage be employed in a circular loom of the type in which 40 the shuttles normally rotate about the loom axis but are brought to rest quickly on thread failure, since it is desirable that the mass of the shuttles is small in order to allow of their stoppage being effected as quickly as possible. Similarly the 45 shuttle is suitable for use in a circular loom of the type in which the shuttles are maintained stationary while the warp threads are caused to rotate.

By way of example two forms of shuttle provided with means according to the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shuttle provided with one form of warp feeler device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view partly in section of the shuttle shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a shuttle provided with' another form of warp feeler device according to the invention; and V Figure 4 is a front elevation of the shuttle in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the shuttle shown therein comprises a boat-shaped body i to the upper side of which is secured a frame 2 carrying a weft spool 3. The shuttle body I is supported and positioned in the loom by rotatable vane wheels 4 mounted on a shaft 5, which' vane wheels engage with pairs of flanged rollers 5 carried in the shuttle body 1.

Outstanding from the nose of the shuttle is a warp feeler device I which, on breakage or jamming of the warp threads, is pushed back by the warps towards the body of the shuttle, and pushes a horizontally disposed push rod 9 outwardly through the warp sheet It! as is shown in Figure 2. On emerging from the warp sheet ID the end of the push rod 9 engages with a member 2| which releases a latch mechanism I22, the latch mechanism being adapted to operate a suitable mechanism for stopping the loom and preventing further Weaving from taking place.

The feeler device I is supported by means of two parallel links H and I2 pivoted at i3 and M to a bracket 15 on the frame 2 carried by the shuttle body l. The lower ends of the links H and I2 are pivoted at the points i6 and I1 respectively to the horizontal push rod 9 which is formed integrally with the feeler device 1, and held rigidly with respect thereto by means of integral struts 33 and 34. This makes possible a very light construction of the feeler member. A light spring I 8 acting upon the link !2 maintains the feeler device 1 in a forward position during the course of ordinary weaving.

It will be seen that the disposition of the links and I2 is such as to permit the feeler device I to move parallel to itself, and at the same time to allow ready access to the weft spool 3 so that the weft spool may be changed when desired. In order to prevent any tendency for the push rod 9 to move laterally during its to and fro movements, guides 19 and 20 are provided on the body I of the shuttle, these guides allowing the rod 9 to move freely in the direction of its length and restraining any lateral movement thereof, without supporting the weight of the push rod and of the feeler member 1. This last function is performed by the depending links I! and 12.

By reason of the engagement of the links H and I2 at the two separate points l6, I! along the length of the rod 9, any tendency on the part of the feeler 1 to tilt on meeting a jam in the warp threads is prevented at whatever point in the height of the member 1 the obstruction may occur. At the same time the pivotal mounting for the support of the feeler member 1 and push rod 9 involves very little friction, so that the spring l8 may be a very light one whereby the sensitivity of the feeler member 1 is increased, and an ample movement thereof for the purpose of engaging the member Zl may be obtained.

In the arrangement shown in Figures 3 and 4 the feeler member I is supported bytwo links 22 and 23 of which one link (link 23) is inverted. The link 22 is a depending link pivoted to a bracket 24 on the frame 2 and urged forward by a light spring 30. This link is pivoted to a rearward extension 28 of the feeler member 1, which rearward extension also engages a guide 29 similar in function to the guides 19, 20. The other link 23 is pivoted at its lower end to the body I of the shuttle at 3|, and at its upper end to the horizontal rod 9 at 32. It will be seen that the link 23 is free to move in the space between the two pairs of vane wheels 4 which drive the shuttle and is disposed in the widest part of the shuttle body I. At the same time, being disposed beneath the weft spools 3, the link 23 does not inter few with the necessary access to the Weft spool.

By this arrangement the horizontal distance between the pivots by which the member I is supported is increased, and greater steadiness may be obtained. Thus, although in the rearward motion of the feeler member I and push rod- 9 these members are caused to tilt very slightly, any tendency for further tilting is the more strongly resisted on account of the increased,

horizontal distance between the pivots.

Having described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A shuttle for use in a circular loom, said shuttle comprising a warp thread feeler member wholly supported with reference to the shuttle by means of a plurality of links, one pivoted at its upper end to the shuttle and at its lower end to the feeler member, and a second link pivoted at its lower end to the shuttle and its upper end. to the feeler member, said links being so disposedv that said feeler member is adapted to move under their control substantially parallel to itself.

2. A shuttle for use in a circular loom, said shuttle comprising means for mounting a pack-.

age of weft yarn and a warp thread feeler member wholly supported with reference to the shuttle by means of a pair of links, one pivoted at its upper end to the shuttle and at its lower end to the feeler member, and lying in front of the weft package, and a second link pivoted at its lower.

end to the shuttle and at its upper end to said feeler member and being disposed beneath said weft package, said links being so disposed that said feeler member is adapted to move under their control substantially parallel to itself.

FRANK CORBYN HALE. 

